Bell buses

[matrix123]

I'm planning to book the 9:35 am flight BKK to MNL with cebupacific, and was gonna book the 6:00 am bell bus from Patts which I guess will get me to the airport around 8'ish. is this a realistic option ?

Previously I've relied on the 389 service, but their 1st departure would arrive too late for my flight.

 

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I think you will be fine. I haven't taken the 6:00 am Bell bus before, but early in the morning, there would be no traffic in Pattaya and the highway to BKK. The trip should be around one and a half hour. Just make sure you do not oversleep! 

[izzyg]

Is it no longer possible to select seat on the Bell website? I booked yesterday and didnt see it.

[kd_traveller]

Their website now states:

 

"Seat selection can now be arranged upon check in before coach departure"

[riccy]

total website overhaul..   so, it's now called 'shared transfer'    a while back i thought they had quit..   glad they didn't ..

[gogs007]

Does the bus have a toilet on it

[vimto66]

Does the bus have a toilet on it

I know its a genuine question gogos but that just sounded funny.....its just me!

[Soi7]

Does the bus have a toilet on it

not the one i was just on

[Evil Penevil]

not the one i was just on

 

Nor the one I took last Thursday.  Here's a breakdown of my trip on a Bell Bus to the Phachara Suites on Soi 4 (Soi Nana) off Sukhumvit Road.

 

Picked up by minibus from my condo at 8.20 am.

Arrived at Pattaya bus station at 8.50 am.

Bus to Bangkok departed at 9.05 am.

Arrived at Bangkok Bell terminal at 11.00 am.

Departed by minibus to hotel at 11.05 am.

Arrived at my hotel at 12.20 pm.  Two dropoffs prior to mine and traffic was extremely heavy in central Bangkok.

 

Pros of Bell Bus:

 

Price (400 baht vs 1,200 baht for car service)

Comfort (I reclined my seat and slept for 90 minutes of the two-hour trip to Bangkok)

 

Cons of Bell Bus:

 

Time of trip (4 hours door-to-door vs about 2.5 hours by car at that time of day)

Schedule (three buses a day with drop off at Bangkok hotels, 09:00/13:00/17:00; to Swampy, 06:00/09:00/11:00/13:00/15:00 /17:00/19:00)

 

It boils down to whether you put more value on 800 baht or 1.5 hours of your time.  Since I can sleep on the Bell Bus, I would choose it for trips into Bangkok or Swampy whenever the Bell schedule coincides with my schedule.  From Swampy, it's a bit more problematic as I'm not inclined to wait for the Bell Bus after a long flight.

 

Evil

Edited July 11, 2016 by Evil Penevil

[TaffBill]

Good information Evil.

You were unlucky with that traffic when you hit Bangkok.

I took the 13.00 bus from Patts to Bangkok a couple of months ago and it took me 30 minutes to get dropped off at my hotel and I thought that was a long time!

[Evil Penevil]

Good information Evil.

You were unlucky with that traffic when you hit Bangkok.

I took the 13.00 bus from Patts to Bangkok a couple of months ago and it took me 30 minutes to get dropped off at my hotel and I thought that was a long time!

 

Of course it mostly depends on how far your hotel is from the Bell station in Bangkok.  Some are 10 minutes away, others would take an hour or more to get to in normal city traffic. How many drop offs are ahead of you is another a big factor. If you're first of five or six drop offs, you'll  get to your hotel at least an hour before the last guy gets to his, even if all the hotels are relatively close to each other.  Traffic and weather also figure in.  Depending on all these factors, over which the traveler has little or no control, the time spent on a Bell bus can vary considerably.  But I agree, it is really down to luck.

 

Evil

[mr21]

Does the bus have a toilet on it

Took Bell Bus three times this year and two had toilets

[matrix123]

I just read a BM's post in newbie section and checked with Bell Bus's website. From Suvanabhumi to Pattaya, you need to book your ticket in advance now! No more walk in!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 27, 2016 by matrix123

[Whalley]

Wonder how they fill the empty seats for late arrivals and no shows?

 

http://www.belltravelservice.com/

 

.

[matrix123]

Not so sure why they would do that??!! New regulation or business decision??!! If business decision, it is a really dumb business decision!!

[lounge_lizard]

Not so sure why they would do that??!! New regulation or business decision??!! If business decision, it is a really dumb business decision!!

They did this a few years ago. 

 

At the time, rumour had it that they had fallen out with the Roong Reuang coach company, who then complained to the Swampy authorities that they alone had the right to accept walk-in passengers. 

 

It all blew over after about 12 months.

[casinoclub]

Not so sure why they would do that??!! New regulation or business decision??!! If business decision, it is a really dumb business decision!!

In hind sight it isn't bad. They have been doing this for at least 2 years now. I have not been on an bus with spare seat thus far.

[taylor1975]

In hind sight it isn't bad. They have been doing this for at least 2 years now. I have not been on an bus with spare seat thus far.

I think you're getting confused! The website implies you can no longer walk to the counter at swampy and pay to get on a bus.

 

I wonder if you can stand at the counter with your smartphone and book a ticket 5 mins before boarding? I bet you can't.

 

 

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[matrix123]

I think you're getting confused! The website implies you can no longer walk to the counter at swampy and pay to get on a bus.

 

I wonder if you can stand at the counter with your smartphone and book a ticket 5 mins before boarding? I bet you can't.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

No, you can't. I just tried (not at the counter but at home). At 7:30am Bangkok time, you could only book the 2pm bus.

[matrix123]

In hind sight it isn't bad. They have been doing this for at least 2 years now. I have not been on an bus with spare seat thus far.

 

I think because they had walk in passengers, they could fill the bus easily. Without walk in passenger, may be not.

[matrix123]

They did this a few years ago. 

 

At the time, rumour had it that they had fallen out with the Roong Reuang coach company, who then complained to the Swampy authorities that they alone had the right to accept walk-in passengers. 

 

It all blew over after about 12 months.

 

I have taken Bell bus from the airport to Pattaya numbers of times for the last 5 to 6 years. Sometimes I booked in advance, sometimes I walk in with no problem!

Edited September 28, 2016 by matrix123

[Harvey707]

Reading on Thaivisa there is a problem with the Booth itself in the location and people queuing to book tickets. Suspect the issue will be rectified soon

[adammike]

Reading on Thaivisa there is a problem with the Booth itself in the location and people queuing to book tickets. Suspect the issue will be rectified soon

It's a bit chaotic there the bell Bus sign is not obvious and the hua hin bus and I think the 938? that goes to Jomtien leave from there,the girls on the desk are overworked and stressed probably from the tired and stressed travellers factor in there zero Thai and mangled English it's a good thing they only take pre bookings.

As an aside I booked the bell Bus last January and a BFS fast track for 850baht,my flight was delayed for an hour from Amsterdam and I disembarked 30 minutes before the bus was due to leave I got through immigration and collected my luggage and made the bus with a few minutes to spare,

it's 850baht well spent.

[TaffBill]

It's a bit chaotic there the bell Bus sign is not obvious and the hua hin bus and I think the 938? that goes to Jomtien leave from there,the girls on the desk are overworked and stressed probably from the tired and stressed travellers factor in there zero Thai and mangled English it's a good thing they only take pre bookings.

As an aside I booked the bell Bus last January and a BFS fast track for 850baht,my flight was delayed for an hour from Amsterdam and I disembarked 30 minutes before the bus was due to leave I got through immigration and collected my luggage and made the bus with a few minutes to spare,

it's 850baht well spent.

 

Why not save the 850 baht and spend it on a taxi?

[adammike]

Why not save the 850 baht and spend it on a taxi?

I will say it again,I like the big Busses, I never feel safe in taxis and the only time I get in a minibus is the bell Bus to my hotel,it's not about the money.

[kd_traveller]

They did this a few years ago. 

 

At the time, rumour had it that they had fallen out with the Roong Reuang coach company, who then complained to the Swampy authorities that they alone had the right to accept walk-in passengers. 

 

It all blew over after about 12 months.

 

I don't think this is the reason because as far as I know they are one and the same company.  Bell Travel buses usually have a Roong Reuang sign on the front window and according to the Bell Travel Website

 

"Bell is the official website and sole provider in advance booking for Roong Reuang Coach (RRC) Co Ltd"

 

I think I heard a few years ago when they were strict on pre-booking that the reason was that it was not a "Public Bus" and therefore people could not just walk up and pay they had to book in advance.